Federal health minister not open about pending changes

Driftpile First Nation Chief Rose Laboucan anticipates changes in federal health care will soon be coming, but she didn’t hear that from federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose.

Laboucan, representing Treaty 8, was joined by Chief Charles Weaselhead from Treaty 7 and Chief Rusty Threefingers from Treaty 6, also leaders of the Health Co-Management Committee, in a closed-door meeting with Ambrose in Calgary in early April.
“I always wish … that politicians would be honest when they come to the table and if they have intentions for change, that they should let us know and what those changes are going to be. Not after the fact when they’ve decided what they’re already going to be doing,” said Laboucan. “I didn’t get that honesty.”

Laboucan points to the Non-Insured Health Benefits which are sunsetting in 2015, which means there are a number of programs up for renewal.

“I advocated for those programs because I think they are important.  There was no yes or no answer,” Laboucan said.
“There was no commitment made.”

Chiefs also expressed concern over health care funding that is being returned to the federal government as surplus dollars. The point of the existing co-management agreement between the province and Health Canada is to keep surplus funds in the province, says Laboucan.

“Our people are not getting any healthier,” she said. “I’m not sure why there was such a large surplus, maybe because of all the restrictions that are placed on the programs available and how you can access them and people just give up and don’t even use it.”

Health Canada is undertaking an analysis of the reasons behind the surplus dollars, says Laboucan, who is hoping to get the results in June. As well, she notes, Treaty 8 is undertaking a health survey to determine why members are not using NHIB services.

If those surplus dollars can be kept in the province, Laboucan would like to see them invested in First Nations communities to fund “different programs that can really have a long-term effect rather than short-term.”

Increasing First Nations control and input into the health care system was discussed, as well as how to close jurisdictional gaps between health services offered on-reserve and those offered off-reserve, says HCOM coordinator Peyasu Wuttunee.

Ambrose is the first federal health minister to meet with HCOM since 2010, although Chiefs have been requesting a meeting for years, he added.

“Because she’s an Alberta MP, I think that helped get a bit faster access,” he said. “(This meeting) was really important in terms of establishing a relationship with this minister and also just to let her know some of the things we were doing and what the Chiefs’ interests were in moving forward.”

While Laboucan does appreciate Ambrose’s time and feels the minister is willing to work with the Chiefs, Laboucan says there is a frustration involved in dealing with new ministers on a continual basis.

“I know that (we) were very adamant at that meeting that we do have a treaty right to health,” said Laboucan, “and how she develops and comes to that understanding will be her homework.”

Another meeting with Ambrose is on the agenda and could happen in July.

“They are small steps but they are still significant,” said Wuttunee. “We are hoping to establish an ongoing dialogue.”